A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

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A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

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A Guide to Recognizing Your Sa...

Robert Downey Jr., Shia LaBeouf, Chazz Palminteri, Dianne Wiest, Melonie Diaz

This is the story of a pivotal summer on the hot, sweaty, violent streets of Astoria, Queens--a summer that changed only Dito Montiel, but the lives of everyone around him. Torn between is ill father,...( read more  read more... ) his domineering friend and protector Antonio, the neighborhood war and the lustful temptations of youth, Dito struggles against his desire to escape, running away from everything he knows. He finds redemption 15 years later when he returns to Queens and faces the "saints" who have influenced his life.

Id: 10890648

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A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints Recent Reviews
  • mrpopcorn
    November 24, 2009
    mrpopcorn
    "My name is Dito and I'm going to leave everyone in this film."

    The movie is a coming-of-age drama about a boy growing up in Astoria, N.Y., during the 1980s. As his friends end up dead, on drugs or in prison, he comes to believe he has been saved from their fate by variou...( read more)s so-called saints.

    REVIEW

    First time writer/director Dito Montiel arrives with a tremendous force, proving himself artistically adept with the critically acclaimed adaptation of his autobiographical book detailing a tense upbringing in Astoria, New York in the 1980's. Splicing heartfelt flashbacks that Montiel remembers with bitter fondness about growing up in a rough neighborhood with the modern-day predicament of returning home to see his family with an uncanny first time precision, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints just might be among this decade's sleeper hit. With pitch-perfect admiration, the film embraces a range of natural and deep (even in their stereotypical underpinnings) character types in all of their graphic ugliness, at times playing out like a more genuine and retro version of the vacant "Kids".

    Any conservatives turned off by the gritty, hands-on approach these young actors are engaged in however, will likely miss the underlying integrity that lies dormant in nearly every foul-mouthed utterance that is heard. Casting here could not be better, it is refreshing and reassuring to see stars young and old line up to be a part of a nameless project, simply because the material is so resonant. The focus does tend to concentrate on Dito's younger years, perhaps to a fault of relaying his older ones, and the drama can feel slightly forced at times, but by and large the movie shines through with a prideful authenticity, shown not only through the perceptive direction but the surprisingly adept performances.
  • irisheyes686
    August 18, 2009
    irisheyes686
    I really didn't care for this movie. There was absolutely no point to it. Sure there were lots of good actors, but it didn't help the movie much.
  • sanjurosamurai
    March 25, 2009
    sanjurosamurai
    the acting in this one was fantastic. the story was fairly pointless and you cant really connect with the characters, really just a well acted movie about random kids that are not all that different from most of us. the direction was the most interesting part. a debut for this...( read more) director, it was unlike any direction that ive ever seen. you will either love the way that he made this film or you will hate it. i thought the direction was pretty good.
  • JDFortuneFan
    November 9, 2008
    JDFortuneFan
    An autobiographical film from first timer Dito Montiel which is dramatic and character driven. The film offers a penetrating raw and gritty look into living life in a threatening environment, escaping that environment and what it's like to come home again. Well scripted and bri...( read more)lliantly acted....
  • 366weirdmovies
    October 28, 2008
    366weirdmovies
    Shiftless tough teens learn life's bitter lessons on the mean streets of New York. With Chazz Palminteri, Robert Downey Jr. and a cast of exciting fresh faces, it's well acted, etc., but adds little to the genre.
  • HeroPK
    December 15, 2009
    HeroPK
    a Bronx Tale in the 80's.
  • LYNNWOODS04
    December 8, 2009
    LYNNWOODS04
    Robert Downey Jr., Shia Labeouf, Chazz Palminteri, Channing Tatum, Dianne West, Rosario Dawson

    This is the story of a pivotal summer on the hot, sweaty, violent streets of Astoria, Queens--a summer that changed only Dito Montiel, but the lives of everyone around him. Torn betw...( read more)een is ill father his domineering friend and protector Antonio, the neighborhood war and the lustful temptations of youth, Dito struggles against his desire to escape, running away from everything he knows. He finds redemption 15 years later when he returns to Queens and faces the "saints" who have influenced his life.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    The story takes place in the summer of 1986 in Queens, New York. It's the story of Dito Montiel, who wrote and directed this film telling the story of his summer that he left everyone behind and fleeing to L.A. The film goes back and forth to the present of Dito as the adult who is played by Downey and the to the past, Dito as a teenager played by Labeouf. This movie for me had a feeling like The Outsiders. Gang of friends hanging out, messing with girls, getting into fights, beat up rival gangs, shoplift and give attitude to on-lookers.
    "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" is raw and gritty. Has some heart wrenching performances especially by Labeouf and Tatum. Probably not a film for most but definitely one that should be seen by all. Overall this is a great film, filled with amazing performances, no one should miss.
  • robertkalil223
    November 27, 2009
    robertkalil223
    another great film showcasing great actors and NYC
  • Nenebelle
    November 14, 2009
    Nenebelle
    It was quite hard to get into but once i did it was watchable,if i had to describe it using one word i would chose the word "average".
  • gilbertduran
    November 10, 2009
    gilbertduran
    I can really relate to this movie. Its great to know that you are surrounded by the greatest people even if we dont always realize it at first once things start getting rough our true friends and family are the people who stick around. I definately can relate to what he says in t...( read more)he beginning about how he left them all but has never been left by anyone.
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